TY - JOUR
T1 - Cohort profile: the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO) in the Netherlands
T2 - The Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO) in the Netherlands
AU - Timmermans, Erik J.
AU - Lakerveld, Jeroen
AU - Beulens, Joline W.J.
AU - Boomsma, Dorret I.
AU - Kramer, Sophia E.
AU - Oosterman, Mirjam
AU - Willemsen, Gonneke
AU - Stam, Mariska
AU - Nijpels, Giel
AU - Schuengel, Carlo
AU - Smit, Jan H.
AU - Brunekreef, Bert
AU - Dekkers, Jasper E.C.
AU - Deeg, Dorly J.H.
AU - Penninx, Brenda W.J.H.
AU - Huisman, Martijn
PY - 2018/6/9
Y1 - 2018/6/9
N2 - PURPOSE: In the Netherlands, a great variety of objectively measured geo-data is available, but these data are scattered and measured at varying spatial and temporal scales. The centralisation of these geo-data and the linkage of these data to individual-level data from longitudinal cohort studies enable large-scale epidemiological research on the impact of the environment on public health in the Netherlands. In the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO), six large-scale and ongoing cohort studies have been enriched with a variety of existing geo-data. Here, we introduce GECCO by describing: (1) the phenotypes of the involved cohort studies, (2) the collected geo-data and their sources, (3) the methodology that was used to link the collected geo-data to individual cohort studies, (4) the similarity of commonly used geo-data between our consortium and the nationwide situation in the Netherlands and (5) the distribution of geo-data within our consortium.PARTICIPANTS: GECCO includes participants from six prospective cohort studies (eg, 44 657 respondents (18-100 years) in 2006) and it covers all municipalities in the Netherlands. Using postal code information of the participants, geo-data on the address-level, postal code-level as well as neighbourhood-level could be linked to individual-level cohort data.FINDINGS TO DATE: The geo-data could be successfully linked to almost all respondents of all cohort studies, with successful data-linkage rates ranging from 97.1% to 100.0% between cohort studies. The results show variability in geo-data within and across cohorts. GECCO increases power of analyses, provides opportunities for cross-checking and replication, ensures sufficient geographical variation in environmental determinants and allows for nuanced analyses on specific subgroups.FUTURE PLANS: GECCO offers unique opportunities for (longitudinal) studies on the complex relationships between the environment and health outcomes. For example, GECCO will be used for further research on environmental determinants of physical/psychosocial functioning and lifestyle behaviours.
AB - PURPOSE: In the Netherlands, a great variety of objectively measured geo-data is available, but these data are scattered and measured at varying spatial and temporal scales. The centralisation of these geo-data and the linkage of these data to individual-level data from longitudinal cohort studies enable large-scale epidemiological research on the impact of the environment on public health in the Netherlands. In the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO), six large-scale and ongoing cohort studies have been enriched with a variety of existing geo-data. Here, we introduce GECCO by describing: (1) the phenotypes of the involved cohort studies, (2) the collected geo-data and their sources, (3) the methodology that was used to link the collected geo-data to individual cohort studies, (4) the similarity of commonly used geo-data between our consortium and the nationwide situation in the Netherlands and (5) the distribution of geo-data within our consortium.PARTICIPANTS: GECCO includes participants from six prospective cohort studies (eg, 44 657 respondents (18-100 years) in 2006) and it covers all municipalities in the Netherlands. Using postal code information of the participants, geo-data on the address-level, postal code-level as well as neighbourhood-level could be linked to individual-level cohort data.FINDINGS TO DATE: The geo-data could be successfully linked to almost all respondents of all cohort studies, with successful data-linkage rates ranging from 97.1% to 100.0% between cohort studies. The results show variability in geo-data within and across cohorts. GECCO increases power of analyses, provides opportunities for cross-checking and replication, ensures sufficient geographical variation in environmental determinants and allows for nuanced analyses on specific subgroups.FUTURE PLANS: GECCO offers unique opportunities for (longitudinal) studies on the complex relationships between the environment and health outcomes. For example, GECCO will be used for further research on environmental determinants of physical/psychosocial functioning and lifestyle behaviours.
KW - environmental data
KW - exposome
KW - geographic information systems
KW - health geography
KW - longitudinal cohort studies
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85052999652&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021597
DO - https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021597
M3 - Article
C2 - 29886447
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 8
SP - 1
EP - 14
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 6
M1 - e021597
ER -